Apparatus and method for edge stitching/binding workpieces

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for the edge stitching/binding of fabric workpieces in which the workpieces are introduced into a sewing machine at a speed synchronous with that of the sewing machine and in a precise orientation relative to the needle thereof. The workpieces optionally have a tape folded about the edge thereof and are automatically fully stitched at a substantially uniform distance from the edge thereof, whereafter the workpieces are severed into separate entities. During the stitching operation each workpiece is caused to traverse a stitch pattern which consists of a random sequence of straight lines, concave and convex curved portions, by control means which constantly engage the workpiece and which work in conjunction with holding means selectively movable into engagement with the workpiece. The fully stitched workpieces may then be automatically discharged from the apparatus.

United States Patent [191 Beamish et al.

[ Jan.23, 1973 [54] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EDGE STITCHING/BINDING WORKPIECES [22] Filed: April 28,1970

[21] Appl. No.: 32,631

[52] U.S.Cl. ..ll2/121.29,ll2/47,271/1,

271/26 [51 Int. Cl. ..D05b 33/02 [58] FieldofSearch ..1l2/12l.29,l2l.11,121.12, l12/12l.15, 203,205, 130, 252, 219 R, 219

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,971,483 2/1961 Cordier ..1 12/205 3,383,107 5/1968 Hedegaard ..l12/121.29 X 3,472,187 10/1969 Kaplan et al.... ..112/203 X 3,204,591 9/1965 Pickett ..1l2/l2l.1l 3,336,025 8/1967 Shichman et a1. .....271/44 X 2,737,389 3/1956 Evans et a1. ..27l/26 X 3,425,373 2/1969 Miller et al ..1 12/130 2,526,279 10/1950 Roseman ..,.112/219 R X 3,080,836 3/1963 Clemens et a1. ..112/203 X 2,251,368 8/1941 Moser 112/219 R 680,665 8/1901 Noble ..1 12/219 R 2,224,261 12/1940 Germain.... 12/147 X 2,290,123 7/1942 Wilfong ...1 12/203 UX 2,483,138 I 9/1949 l-lelmer ..112/219 A 3,598,070 8/1971 Rosenberg ...l 12/121 .15

Primary Examiner.lames R. Boler Attorney-Holman and Stern [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus and method for the edge stitching/binding of fabric workpieces in which the workpieces are introduced into a sewing machine at a speed synchronous with that of the sewing machine and in a precise orientation relative to the needle thereof. The workpieces optionally have a tape folded about the edge thereof and are automatically fully stitched at a substantially uniform distance from the edge thereof, whereafter the workpieces are severed into separate entities. During the stitching operation each workpiece is caused to traverse a stitch pattern which consists of a random sequence of straight lines, concave and convex curved portions, by control means which constantly engage the workpiece and which work in conjunction with holding means selectively movable into engagement with the workpiece. The fully stitched workpieces may then be automatically discharged from the apparatus.

29 Claims, 33 Drawing Figures- PATENTEU JAN 2 3 I973 SHEET UlUF 29 PATENTED JAN 23 I975 SHEET UZUF 29 PATENTED JAN 2 3 I975 sum 03UF 29 PATENTEDJAN 23 I975 sum 05 [1F '29 PATENTED JAN 23 I975 SHEET OBUF 29 PATENTEU JAN 23 I975 SHEET DBUF 29 PATENTED JAN 23 I975 SHEET DSUF 29 POSITION "A? PATENTED JAN 23 I973 SHEET lOUF 29 PATENTED JAN 2 3 I975 SHEET MN 29 PATENTED JAN 23 I975 SHEET 12UF 29 mmN m8 EN mmm PATENTEDJAN 23 I973 3,712,254 PATENTED JAN23 I973 SHEET lSUF 29 WIIIIIIIIIJJJ.

PATENTEU JAN 2 3 I973 SHEET lBOF 29 PATENTEUJAN 23 1975 SHEET 170F 29 PATENTEDJAH 23 I975 SHEET 18UF 29 

1. Apparatus for stitching the edges of workpieces wherein said workpieces are fed in seriatim into a sewing machine, comprising a sewing machine; a stationary guide disposed adjacent to the feed tools of the sewing machine and behind the sewing machine feed needle; control means adapted constantly to engage a workpiece introduced into the sewing machine and to exert a pressure thereon, said control means disposed adjacent to the stitching head of said sewing machine and adapted to urge a workpiece into engagement with said guide means to cause the stitch to follow a path at a substantially constant distance from the edge of the workpiece; and holding means adapted to be selectively engaged with the workpiece, said holding means being moved into engagement with the workpiece at appropriate positions in relation to selected curved edge portions thereof and working in conjunction with said control means to urge the workpiece to follow a path corresponding to said selected curved edge portions.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the workpieces are disposed in a suitably located stack and including means for feeding the workpieces from said stack.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including automatic means adapted to remove the completed workpieces from the apparatus.
 4. Apparatus for edge binding a workpiece, comprising a sewing machine; means for feeding a tape towards the sewing machine and forming same so as to enclose the edge of the workpiece for subsequent stitching thereto; a stationary stitching guide disposed adjacent to the feed tools of the sewing machine, said guide means associated with said tape feed and forming means, and disposed behind the sewing machine feed needle; control means adapted constantly to engage a workpiece introduced into the sewing machine and to exert a pressure thereon, said control means disposed adjacent to the stitching head of said sewing machine and adapted to urge a workpiece into engagement with said guide means to cause the stitch to follow a path at a substantially constant distance from the edge of the workpiece; and holding means adapted to be selectively engaged with the workpiece, said holding means being moved into engagement with the workpiece at appropriate positions in relation to selected curved edge portions thereof and working in Conjunction with said control means to force the workpiece to follow a path corresponding to said selected curved edge portions.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including means for separating fully stitched workpieces leaving the sewing machine into separate entities.
 6. Apparatus for the continuous edge binding of portions of standard shoe uppers such as quarters, vamps and tongues, comprising a stitching head, means for successively feeding shoe portions upwards to the top level of a stack of such shoe portions of any pre-selected pattern; means for continuously feeding the shoe portions horizontally towards the stitching head; means for continuously orientating and engaging the shoe portions whereby they are fed to the stitching head with the leading edge at a substantially constant distance from the sewing machine needle; means for feeding a tape towards the sewing machine and forming same so as to enclose the edge of the work piece for subsequent stitching thereto; said edge binding being continuously stitched to said shoe portions in said sewing machine with the line of stitch at a substantially constant distance from the edge of each workpiece; means for discharging the fully stitched shoe portions successively out of the stitching system; means for automatically stopping the stitching operation at the end of each individual stack; and means for automatically reloading the apparatus with a pre-loaded stack of said shoe portions.
 7. Apparatus for edge binding a workpiece comprising a sewing machine; means for feeding a tape towards the sewing machine and folding it over so as to enclose the edge of the workpiece for subsequent stitching thereto; a stitching fence associated with said tape feed and folding means, said fence disposed behind the sewing machine needle; control means adapted constantly to engage a workpiece introduced into the sewing machine and to exert a predetermined and adjustable pressure thereon, said control means disposed adjacent the stitching head of said sewing machine and adapted to urge the workpiece into engagement with said fence to cause the stitch to follow a path inwardly of and at a substantially constant distance from the edge of the workpiece; and holding means adapted to be selectively moved into engagement with the workpiece, said holding means being moved into engagement with the workpiece at the centers of selected curved edge portions thereof and adapted in conjunction with said control means to force the workpiece to follow a path corresponding to said selected curved edge portions.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said control means comprises a control wheel the peripheral edge of which is inclined inwardly relative to the needle of said sewing machine.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including means for severing fully stitched workpieces leaving the sewing machine into separate entities.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including a logic circuit operable to initiate, sustain and terminate the action of said holding means in response to changes in the path of stitching, whereby the holding means is selectively moved into engagement with the work piece to cause the work piece to follow said path corresponding to said selected curved edge portions.
 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including means for feeding a workpiece into the sewing machine; sensing means adapted to be actuated in response to the presence of the edge of a workpiece at a predetermined position relative to the sewing machine needle, said sensing means operable when actuated to cause said workpiece feeding means to feed the workpiece towards the sewing head at a speed synchronous with the speed of the sewing machine.
 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said workpiece is automatically traversed through a pattern consisting of a random sequence of straight lines and convex and concave arcuate portions corresponding to the configuration of the edge of the workpiece, traverse through said concave arcuate portions beIng effected under control of said control means and through said convex arcuate portions being effected under control of said holding means acting in conjunction with said control means.
 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 including means for severing fully stitched workpieces leaving the sewing machine into separate entities.
 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including first detecting means operable when a curved portion of said workpiece is in a predetermined position relative to the sewing machine to initiate movement of a selected one of said holding means into a position engaging said workpiece; and a second detecting means operable when the workpiece has been moved, under control of said selected one of said holding means in conjunction with said control means, through an arc corresponding to that of said curved portion, to retract said selected one of said holding means from engagement with the workpiece whereupon said control means resumes control of the direction of movement of the workpiece.
 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said holding means comprises a plurality of pins.
 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said selected one of said holding means is moved into engagement with the workpiece at a point directly opposite the point of inflection at the start of a curved portion of said workpiece.
 17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including means associated with said sewing machine operable to count the stitches made by the sewing machine and to initiate a desired action of the apparatus when the count reaches a predetermined number.
 18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including means associated with said sewing machine operable to count the stitches made by the sewing machine and to provide an indication when the count reaches a predetermined number.
 19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including a container for holding a stack of workpieces to be stitched; conveyor means disposed between said stack and the sewing machine; pick-up means for removing workpieces in seriatim from said stack and depositing same on said conveyor means; gauge means located adjacent the conveyor means and in the direction of stitching therefrom, said conveyor means operable to urge said workpiece into said gauge means; feed means mounted on and extending over the plane of feed of said workpieces at the input side of the sewing machine, said feed means operable when a workpiece has been gauged to engage said workpiece and move it to a position having a predetermined orientation relative to the sewing machine and to introduce a leading edge portion of the workpiece into the sewing machine, said feed means automatically releasing said workpiece on commencement of stitching of said workpiece and being returned to its normal position in readiness to feed the next workpiece delivered from said stack; cutting means positioned adjacent the sewing machine and operable when said workpiece has been fully stitched to sever the workpiece as a separate entity; and means operable to engage said workpiece after it has been fully stitched and separated to move it away from the sewing machine to a position whereat it is orientated at a predetermined angle to the line of stitching, the successive workpieces being orientated with sufficient uniformity to permit an orderly stacking.
 20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said pick-up means comprises a pair of spaced-apart fingers each terminating in a suction cup, the spacing between said fingers being cyclically adjusted in the routine operating program of the apparatus whereby upon engagement of a workpiece by said suction cups said fingers may be moved towards each other thereby causing the center portion of the workpiece to become upwardly folded prior to the removal of said workpiece from said stack.
 21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said workpieces are stacked in said container in inverted position and including roll-over means intermediate said container and said conveyor means onto which said workpieces are delivered by said pick-up means, said roll-over means adapted to be rotated about its axis whereby to invert workpieces deposited thereon and to deliver said inverted workpieces onto said conveyor means.
 22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said holding means comprise first and second pins mounted on the head of said sewing machine reciprocable in a vertical plane relative thereto.
 23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said control means is mounted on the head of said sewing machine and reciprocable in a vertical plane relative thereto.
 24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein said control means comprises a control wheel.
 25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said cutting means comprises an upper blade mounted on the free end of the piston of a pneumatic cylinder and a lower blade fixed in a stationary position adjacent the sewing machine needle in the direction of stitching from said needle, said upper blade reciprocable in an axial direction into and out of engagement with said lower blade.
 26. A method of edge binding a fabric workpiece comprising the steps of: feeding the workpiece to a position orientated and located in predetermined manner relative to the needle of a sewing machine; sensing the presence of the edge of said workpiece; adjusting the subsequent speed of feed of said workpiece into said needle to synchronism with the needle speed; causing said workpiece to traverse a stitch pattern such that the periphery thereof consists of a random sequence of straight lines, concave and convex curved portions corresponding to the configuration of the edge of said workpiece with the stitch line at a substantially constant distance from said edge, traverse through said straight line and concave curved portions being effected under the direction of a control means; selectively engaging holding means with said workpiece at the centers of convex curved portions thereof, said holding means operating in conjunction with said control means to cause said stitch line to follow said convex curved portions; and severing the fully stitched workpieces into separate entities.
 27. A method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the fully stitched and separated workpieces are moved away from said sewing machine at a controlled rate to a suitable discharge or storage location.
 28. An apparatus for progressively stitching a workpiece along a path consisting of a random sequence of straight lines and concave and convex curved portions at a substantially uniform distance from the periphery of said workpiece comprising: a sewing head; including a sewing needle; a needle counter associated with said needle; a plurality of discrete commencement sensing elements situated outboard of the line of stitching of said sewing head with respect to the sewing needle and in a direction from the needle counter to the direction of stitching, said commencement elements being located at commencement points separated from the needle in the counter direction by several discrete distances, each distance proportional to one of several convex radii of the workpiece, the particular one of said commencement elements to be used for one of said concave and convex curved portion being selected by switching through a predetermined program; means for sensing the commencement of a curved section by detecting a reduction of interference or occlusion by the workpiece at one of said commencement points; holding means adapted to control the stitching of the convex curved portions of said work piece; termination sensing means situated inboard of the line of stitching with respect to the sewing machine and in a direction from the needle counter to the direction of stitching; a logic circuit a selected one of said commencement means and said termination means being connected in said logic circuit, said logic circuit incorporating a holding circuit such that a continuous output signal will be initiated upon occurrence of a difference in the interference at the selected commencement Point, will be retained after subsequent change in the interference at such commencement point, but will be terminated by a change in the interference at the termination point, said output signal being used to initiate, sustain and terminate the action of said holdigg means.
 29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said selected one of said holding means is moved into engagement with the workpiece at a point directly opposite the point of inflection at the start of a curved portion of said workpiece. 